Financial Accountant - Assurance

Exciting Financial Accountant (Assurance) position with a leading national household name in Chesterfield

Your new company
This leading, household name are one of the country's most trusted brands who are committed to providing essential services to customers across the UK. They provide retail and financial services products with a footprint on most UK high streets having operated across the regions for decades.

Your new role
This is an exciting opportunity to join a Central Finance team within the organisation made up of c.70 talented finance professionals, joining a sub-team of 9 statutory and controls focussed individuals.

You will support the Financial Accounting Manager to ensure the Group financial and management accounts are prepared on a timely basis and are free from material misstatement. This involves working closely with the Financial Accounting team and reviewing and responding to feedback from key internal stakeholders, as well as the external auditors. Additionally the Financial Accountant will perform: period end activities, assurance activities and provide technical accounting advice to the business.

Key elements of the role are detailed below:

• Perform detailed testing of balance sheet GL's and reconciliation files, for all Group entities, liaising with reconciliation owners to improve compliance and quality.
• Support with the quarterly Balance Sheet reviews and feedback sessions with Heads of Finance and Finance Directors by organising and collating information, preparing detailed slide decks and adding value by challenging assumptions and treatments to enhance quality.
• Performance of year end activities - including balance sheet assurance (accuracy and completeness reviews).
• Support month end responsibilities, including:
• Preparation of Balance Sheet reconciliations;
• Preparation of journals;
• Reporting of Balance Sheet information to key stakeholders (i.e. Business Consolidation Report for use by Treasury and Financial Planning & Analysis);
• Detailed testing of exceptional spend;
• Complete internal controls for areas owned.
• Support with the preparation of the annual Group financial statements.
• Preparation of evidence and support for external audit activities.
• Support in provision of accounting treatment advice and approval for spend classification treatment for projects and business as usual activities.
• Support review of accounting policies and the Group accounting manual.
• Perform Balance Sheet testing feeding back results to the relevant stakeholders.
• Assist with projects to support the Financial Reporting Controls environment within Post Office.
• Assist the wider Central Finance team with ad hoc analysis, problem solving and reconciliations.
• Responsible for ensuring compliance with any specific legislative, regulatory, or contractual requirements, including all policies, such as; the key policies and procedures on Confidentiality, Conflict of Interest, Business Continuity, Data Protection and Equal Opportunities.

What you'll need to succeed
Knowledge required

• Strong technical knowledge of IFRS and FRS101;
• Strong understanding of financial statement risks and assertions

Experience required

• External audit experience and/or experience of preparing financial statements
• Experience of reviewing and analysing financial information and designing assurance procedures desirable
• Experience working in professional services with large clients or working within large, complex organisations

Qualifications required

• Fully qualified accountant with CCAB or equivalent internationally recognised qualification (e.g. ACA, ACCA).

Skills required

• Strong Excel skills - SUMIFs, Pivots, Lookups, etc.
• Computer literacy / numeracy with strong Word and PowerPoint skills
• Excellent interpersonal, influencing and communication (written and verbal) skills
• Ability to work under pressure, manage multiple workstreams and meet deadlines
• Good understanding of finance systems (particularly SAP and Business Objects packages)
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to effectively summarise and interpret data
• Questioning and challenging approach, 'Can Do' attitude & ability to adapt to changing business priorities.

What you'll get in return
Salary: Up to £44,000 p/a
Pension: matched up to 12% (8% employer contribution)
Life assurance: 4x salary (extra 2x if you have dependants)
Holiday: 25 days + bank holidays (with the option to buy an additional 5 days)
Group income protection 50%
Excellent career opportunities in varied roles with the opportunity for secondments.

Hybrid working with the opportunity to work from home up to 4 days p/w.


What you need to do now
If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now.
If this job isn't quite right for you but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion on your career.

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